King Charles III and Queen Camilla land today in the United States, for what is expected to be the most significant foreign visit of their reign to date. A trip that coincides with the 250th anniversary of the country’s declaration of independence and the separation of the original 13 colonies from British rule under the reign of King George III. Moreover, it comes at a moment when the relationship between the two nations is particularly delicate, amid differences over the war of President Donald Trump against Iran.
The four-day journey will go ahead “as planned,” according to Buckingham Palace, despite rising security concerns after the shooting that occurred in Washington last Saturday. It was then that a man fired outside the hall where Donald and Melania Trump were attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner alongside the vice president, J.D. Vance.
Charles and Camilla will remain in the United States until next Thursday, 30 April. The decision was taken after high‑level security consultations in which the Secret Service, the Metropolitan Police, and Britain’s intelligence services participated. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said the monarch is “very relieved” that the president and the First Lady emerged unscathed.
From Buckingham Palace, this state visit has been described as “an opportunity to acknowledge the shared history of our two nations; the breadth of economic, security, and cultural relations that have developed since then; and the deep ties between the peoples that bind our communities.”
The itinerary of Charles and Camilla in the United States
President Donald Trump and his wife Melania will welcome King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the South Portico of the White House this Monday. Next, the couples will have tea in the Green Room, before touring the iconic building. It will be from Tuesday when the full ceremonial programme begins, with a welcome ceremony and military honors for the British monarchs.
After the ceremony, the schedule splits. Donald Trump and Charles III will hold a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, while Melania Trump and Queen Camilla will attend an intercultural event with students at the White House Tennis Pavilion. Later that same day, the monarch is expected to address the United States Congress, the first time a British monarch has done so since 1991. The day will conclude with a State Dinner in the East Room of the White House.
Charles III and Donald Trump during the president’s visit to England last year.
On April 29, the itinerary of the English monarchs will extend to New York, where they will attend a ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial commemorating the upcoming 25th anniversary of the attacks. The city’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, is expected to accompany them. They also plan to travel to Virginia, where they will take part in events related to the celebrations of the United States’ 250th anniversary of its founding, including a “community neighborhood party.”
On Thursday, the king and queen will return to Washington and the visit will conclude with an official farewell at the South Portico of the White House. A continuación, the visit will continue in the Bermuda Islands, where further events are planned for May 1 and 2. This is King Charles III’s first official visit to a British Overseas Territory since ascending to the throne.
